Melter with self-cleaning filter

Abstract

In one example, a melter has a housing, a heater, a vent, and a filter medium. The housing defines a receiving space that supports adhesive therein. The heater heats the receiving space of the housing to melt the adhesive. The melter defines an adhesive inlet therein that receives adhesive carried by a transport supply gas into the receiving space. The vent extends through a wall of the melter and permits the transport supply gas to escape from the melter. The filter medium is supported in the vent to capture particulates from the transport supply gas escaping the receiving space, and is positioned relative to the receiving space such that heat from the receiving space causes the particulates captured by the filter medium to melt and fall into the receiving space.

1 . A method for operating a melter, the method comprising:
 detecting, by a switch, an opening of a lid assembly of the melter;   determining, by a controller based on communication from by the switch, i) a first time associated with the opening of the lid assembly and ii) a second time associated with the opening of the lid assembly, the second time being subsequent to the first time;   determining, by the controller, an amount of time the lid assembly is open based on the first time and the second time; and   in response to the amount of time exceeding a predetermined value, generating an alert.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the alert comprises providing, by a human-machine interface device, a notification comprising at least one of the following: a visual message, a sound, a vibration, an/or a light. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the notification comprises a warning to stop filling a receiving space coupled with the lid assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting, by a level sensor, a first adhesive level in a receiving space in response to the opening of the lid assembly is detected by the switch;   detecting, by the level sensor, a second adhesive level in the receiving space in response to a closing of the lid assembly is detected by the switch;   determining an adhesive increase amount from the first adhesive level to the second adhesive level;   comparing the adhesive increase amount with a predetermined amount; and   generating the alert in response to the adhesive increase amount being greater than the predetermined amount.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 detecting, by a temperature sensor, a first temperature in a receiving space in response the opening of the lid assembly detected by the switch;   detecting, by the level sensor, a second temperature in the receiving space in response to a closing of the lid assembly detected by the switch;   determining a temperature decrease amount from the first temperature to the second temperature;   comparing the temperature decrease amount with a predetermined temperature decrease amount; and   generating the alert in response to the temperature decrease amount being greater than the predetermined temperature decrease amount.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the switch, a closing of the lid assembly; and   storing, by the controller, the opening and the closing of the lid assembly as a lid event.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 tracking, by the controller based on communication from the switch, each opening and each closing of the lid assembly during a particular time period;   assigning, by the controller, a lid event to a combination the opening and the closing of the lid assembly; and   determining a total number of lid events during the particular time period.   
     
     
         8 . A melter, comprising:
 a housing that defines a receiving space for an adhesive;   a lid assembly configured to rotate relative to the housing;   a switch configured to detect an opening of the lid assembly;   a human-machine interface device; and   a controller configured to:   determine, based on communication from the switch, whether the lid assembly is open or closed;   in response to a determination that the lid assembly is open, determine an amount of time the lid assembly is open; and   in response to the amount of time exceeding a predetermined value, provide, at the human-machine interface device, an alert.   
     
     
         9 . The melter of  claim 8 , wherein the alert comprises a notification comprising at least one of the following: a visual message, a sound, a vibration, and/or a light. 
     
     
         10 . The melter of  claim 9 , wherein the notification further comprises a warning to stop filling the receiving space with the adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The melter of  claim 8 , further comprising a level sensor, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 detect, using the level sensor, a first adhesive level in a receiving space in response to the opening of the lid assembly is detected by the switch;   detect, using the level sensor, a second adhesive level in the receiving space in response to a closing of the lid assembly is detected by the switch;   determine an adhesive increase amount from the first adhesive level to the second adhesive level;   compare the adhesive increase amount with a predetermined amount; and   generate the alert in response to the adhesive increase amount being greater than the predetermined amount.   
     
     
         12 . The melter of  claim 8 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 detect, using the temperature sensor, a first temperature in a receiving space in response the opening of the lid assembly detected by the switch;   detect, using the temperature sensor, a second temperature in the receiving space in response to a closing of the lid assembly detected by the switch;   determine a temperature decrease amount from the first temperature to the second temperature;   compare the temperature decrease amount with a predetermined temperature decrease amount; and   generate the alert in response to the temperature decrease amount being greater than the predetermined temperature decrease amount.   
     
     
         13 . The melter of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 detect, by the switch, a closing of the lid assembly; and   store, by the controller, the opening and the closing of the lid assembly as a lid event.   
     
     
         14 . The melter of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 track, by the controller based on communication from the switch, each opening and each closing of the lid assembly during a particular time period;   assign, by the controller, a lid event to a combination the opening and the closing of the lid assembly; and   determine a total number of lid events during the particular time period.   
     
     
         15 . A melter, comprising:
 a housing that defines a receiving space for an adhesive;   a lid assembly configured to rotate relative to the housing, the lid assembly comprising a switch configured to detect an opening of the lid assembly; and   a controller configured to:   determine, based on communication from the switch, the opening of the lid assembly; and   in response to a determination of the opening, stop filling the receiving space with the adhesive.   
     
     
         16 . The melter of  claim 15 , further comprising a level sensor configured to transmit signal to the controller indicative of an adhesive level within the receiving space, wherein the controller is further configured to in response to the adhesive being greater than a predetermined amount, generate an alert. 
     
     
         17 . The melter of  claim 15 , further comprising a human-machine interface, wherein the controller is further configured to provide, via the human-machine interface, an alert to stop filling the receiving space with the adhesive. 
     
     
         18 . The melter of  claim 17 , wherein the human-machine interface is configured to provide a notification that includes at least one of the following: a visual message, a sound, a vibration, an/or a light. 
     
     
         19 . The melter of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine, based on communication from the switch, a closing of the lid assembly; and   log, based on the opening and the closing, a time that the lid assembly is open.   
     
     
         20 . The melter of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 store the opening and the closing of the lid assembly as a lid event in an array of lid events; and   track, based on the array of lid events, trends.